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which Things of a spiritual, of a religi ous or moral Nature, are represented by Images or Examples, drawn from Things sensible, and from the Occurrences of this Life.!

* It is well known, and hath been often observed by the Learned, that this was a Way of Teaching much in Ufe among the Ancients, especially among the Eastern Nations, particularly the Jews, the Syrians, and Arabians; so that our Saviour, in ufing Parables, accommodated himself to the Taste of the People among whom he immediately lived and conversed. But it feems not to have been only or principally for this Reason that he used this Way of Teaching, but because he regarded it as a pleasant and profitable Way of Instruction, which conveys important Truths and Admonitions in a very agreeable Manner, and by clothing Things with familiar Images leadeth Persons into a more intimate Knowledge and Acquaintance with them: To which it may be added, that it is the best Way of infinuating Things which perhaps would not have been so well received, if more directly proposed.

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It is the Obfervation of an eminent Philosopher, that the Ancients, who did not affect the Praise of Eloquence, but wanted to make Things plain and clear, abounded

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in Parables; and he declares his Judgment, that they are very useful as Helps to our Weakness, the more easily to bring the Hearer or Learner to a clear Perception of the Subject. Seneca, Ep. 59. This Observation is certainly very juft, if applied to the Parables of our Saviour. They are not drawn, like many of the Apologies or Fables of the Ancients, from Things which never happen, but from Things possible, and which frequently occur in Human Life. There is nothing in them wild and extravagant, no absurd and monftrous Fictions, fuch as are to be found in the Jewish Talmuds; but they are, for the most Part, easy and familiar, obvious to common Apprehenfions, and which yet contain the most lively Instructions, the most beautiful Illustrations.

Our Saviour feemeth, in some Cases, to have chosen to make Ufe of Parables, as the properest Way of speaking to the People concerning Things they were not yet prepared for the full Discovery of, and which yet would exhibit an apt Illustration of them, when the proper Seafon came for such a Discovery. Of this Kind are the Parables in Chap. xiii. of St. Matthew's Gospel. We are told that when the Difciples came unto him, and asked him,

Why be spoke to the People in Parables: He answered answered and faid unto them, Because it is given to you to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not given. Ver. 10, 11. The Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, which our Saviour speaks of, are the Things relating to the admirable Nature, the Constitution and Design of the Gospel Dispensation, or that Kingdom of God, which our Lord Jesus, the true Meffiah, was to erect among Men, and the Reception or Success it would meet with in the World. Our Lord knew that the Jews were not yet in a Difpofition for receiving and understanding these Things. To them might be applied, as he observes, what was said of their Ancestors in the Days of the Prophet Ifaiah, That their Heart was waxed grofs, and their Ears were dull of hearing, and their Eyes they had closed. He therefore spoke to them of these Things in Parables, or by Similitudes, as they were able to bear it, as St. Mark expresseth it, Chap. iv. 33, without at that Time explaining or applying those Parables, because they were not yet fitted for having these Things opened to them in a more direct and explicit Way. And, if they had been really defirous to learn, the delivering these Things in Parables would have served to quicken their

Attention, and put them upon a more di

ligent Search into the Meaning of them. And, in that Cafe, if they had applied to him to explain them, he would no Doubt have done it for them, as he did for his Disciples: For we are told, Mark iv. 10, that, when he was alone, they that were about him, with the Twelve, afked of him the Parable. Not only the Twelve, but they that were about him, i. e. fuch of the People as were disposed to learn, came to him, and asked of him the Meaning of the Parable. And it is certain, that our Saviour did not utter these, or any of his Parables, with a Design that they should continue always obfcure, and be concealed from common View. He had no fecret Doctrines which were only to be communicated to a few, and to be hidden from the Bulk of Mankind. This is what he himself fignifieth, when, immediately after, having delivered one of his Parables, he faith, Luke viii. 16, 17, No Man, when he hath lighted a Candle, covereth it with a Veffel, or putteth it under a Bed, but fetteth it on a Candlestick, that they which enter in may fee the Light. For nothing is fecret that shall not be made manifeft; neither any Thing bid, that shall not be known, and come abroad. And, accordingly, those very Parables, the Design of which was not clearly understood by the VOL. IV. Fews,

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Jews, to whom they were first delivered, are now sufficiently clear to us, and are of excellent Use: And therefore it answereth a very valuable End, that our Saviour delivered these Parables, and that the Evangelifts have recorded them.

In every Parable there are two Things to be confidered, the Body of the Parable and the Application or Use of it. In the Body of the Parable it is not necessary that every Circumstance should have a particular distinct Meaning affigned to it. It is fufficient that the Main of it answereth the Intention; and fome Circumstances are generally added, by Way of Ornament, to fill up the Parable, and render it more complete. As to the Application, or Ufe to be made of the Parable, this is not always expreffly declared, but is sometimes left to the Hearer. In many of Chrift's Parables, the Intention or Design is so manifeft, from the whole Contexture of the Parable, that it was not needful for him to apply it: And yet, for the most Part, he plainly directeth to the Use that is to be made of it, either by his Manner of introducing the Parable, or by what he addeth in the Conclusion of it.

Having premised these Things in general, in Relation to our Saviour's Parables, I shall now proceed to a more distinct Confidera

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